Social Media Is Thin Skinned
Rejection. For some people it can feel like the world is caving in. No matter how you handle it, it’s fair to say that no one thrives on hearing ‘no.’
I recently made a Facebook boo-boo. When it was announced that vanity URLs would be made available, I registered for an account (if you haven’t put the pieces together, I am NOT a Facebook user). Since my full name is quite common, I often try to secure URLs and screen names that give me greater control over my online persona. After signing up, I discovered the small print that stated I was unable to claim a custom URL since I did not have the account for a specific amount of time. Discouraged, I closed the window and went about my business.
Several days later friend requests started to appear in my inbox. First it was a few former co-workers, then some current ones. They were joined by friends past and present. Unsure how these people were tracking me down, i asked a friend if I could login to their Facebook account. The answer to my mystery appeared immediately. There was my name, hanging out in the corner as a “recommended friend.” Anyone who had emailed me via the address I signed up with for Facebook had the option to add me to their parade of empty communication.
Even though I now had my answer, I did nothing about it. I assumed that people would see that I was not linked to anyone and take the hint that I was not a user. But as I happened to speak to each person offline, a clear theme emerged: feelings were hurt over these ignored friend requests.
Despite my attempts to explain how I was not interested in being on Facebook – even though I opened an account – my instinct tells me these people think I am lying and that I am avoiding them.
That is not the case. And the next time I ignore a friend request, I will just email them a link to this blog post.
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Overcoming Rejection | Get That Job! said this on October 29, 2009 12:07 am